Saturday, 27 November 2010

Wilderness Camp with campfires and Huskies

By guest blogger Steve NewmanFancy experiencing the Arctic wilderness – Norwegian style? Want to try reindeer sledging, snowmobiling or dog sledging deep inside the Arctic interior with nothing but campfires and hopefully the Northern Lights as company? From today, anyone travelling north with Hurtigruten has the option to book a new ‘Camp Tamok’ excursion and, with reliable snow from mid-November, it’s a must for any would-be Arctic adventurer.

Camp Tamok enjoys a stunning location near Høiseth in Finndalen, an offshoot of the Tamokdalen Valley. Made up of Sami tents and log cabins, the camp is the perfect base for adventures in the winter wilderness. There is no water or electricity – this is an authentic camp with an emphasis on activities. The main attractions are dog sledging, reindeer sleigh rides and snowmobile driving, but the increased chance of seeing the Northern Lights (the camp is located miles from artificial light underneath a pitch black sky) and the hot local food served around a warming campfire will make this trip into the wilderness a must for many.

The excursion can be booked when travelling northbound and departs from the port of Finnsnes. A guided bus journey of around 90 minutes will take guests to the camp, where the next four hours are spent experiencing all that Tamok has to offer before re-joining the ship in Tromsø.

This experience is booked on board and costs 2,250 Norwegian Kroner (approx £235) – guests can book one of two options, either Reindeer driving and dog sledging or Snowmobile safari and reindeer driving.

A 6-night Voyage North costs from £1,080 per person (December voyages) including return flights, six nights half board on the ship, transfers and taxes. No single supplements apply.